Is Millimeter Wave tech the key to making 5G a reality?

By 2025, over 75 billion devices will be remotely connected to the web and to each other. The coming age will pair Internet of Things (IoT) solutions with 5G speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to a staggering 10 Gbps.

With so many paired devices eating away at bandwidth frequencies, the demand for a wireless communications network infrastructure that connects these devices grows. One serious solution being considered for freeing up the airwaves is with millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum bands between 30 GHz and 300 GHz. These bands will be useful in transferring wireless data across short-range transmissions.

In an effort to bring faster, safer service to consumers, businesses, and other institutions utilizing high-speed wireless frequencies, the FCC recently introduced new guidelines for wireless broadband in frequencies above 24 GHz.

The potential value of mmWave for 5G

Wide adoption of 5G technology will revolutionize the speed at which data is transferred, and how much can be transferred at one time. In the world of IoT, this translates into instant, reliable machine communication across every industry and application possible.

Virtually every part of our world will be equipped with the means to transfer information remotely, providing a huge boost in our ability to understand and optimize IoT systems.

Assistant Professor Xinyu Zhang with the University of Wisconsin-Madison outlined the case for utilizing mmWave for 5G at the Microsoft Research Faculty Summit in 2015. With IoT and mobile apps, we are already aware of the usefulness of wireless communication between users and technology. The gaming generation has been using wireless remote controls for years, more businesses are adapting mobile temperature control technology, and the number of multimedia adapters and smart TVs grows exponentially every quarter.

How Will mmWave Integrate with Current Technology?

Previously, high frequency bandwidth signals were not seen as a viable solution for wireless transmission because they were often vulnerable to interference from rain, gas, humidity, occluding objects, and distance. In his report, Professor Zhang outlined the importance of pairing technology with multi-element dynamic antennas to overcome those obstacles facing mmWave bands.

Highly directional antennas break through the propagation loss via flexible beams, though there are still kinks in mobility and blockage to work through. Gigabit LTE modules like Telit’s LM960 Cat 18 data card are incredibly agile, feature ultra-small form factor, and use 4x4 MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antennas to improve spectral efficiency. Other Massive-MIMO technologies will become more relevant when using higher frequencies.

Recently, 3GPP and the International Telecommunication Union have partnered to plan out several research phases detailing 5G standards going into 2020. While the exact frequencies available for use are still being debated, it seems like the infrastructure is gaining momentum for better and faster short-range communications.

Telit Leads the Path to 5G and Short Wave Broadband Solutions

As a worldwide leader and developer of mobile broadband solutions and technology, Telit transforms businesses by connecting them to the highest available speeds that cellular networks can support. From smart city planning to retail to security and surveillance, Telit has a more than two-decade history of connecting a variety of industries to smarter solutions.

Connect with a Telit representative and learn about our LTE-M & NB-IoT modules or discover how the high-speed LM960 Gigabit Class LTE Cat 18 data card can prepare your business for a 5G future today.

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